The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-05

Tho Strange and Curious Romance of an Old
Spanish Land Grant.

Tho Strange and Curious Romance of an Old
Spanish Land Grant.
New York world.
While novelists of the new school are going
about with their little microscopes seeking for
molecules of human nature and experience for
their dead and alive pages. Dame Nature con-
tinues at the old stand, turning out romances
that would make Dumas gasp and Defoe
jeolous. Real life is the worst antagonist of the
realists
Here is q real old-fashioned romance with all
the colors thrown in, Spanish-Amer1car inter
national episode that would make the blood or
James or Howells curdle If it were told IN hc-
ton. The first hints of it came over the wires
from San Francisco a few days ago and were
printed In several of the papers. The practical
end OF IL is the Casa Granda Land Company.
with capitalization of 500. 900, O00 A gentle
man interested in the company related the
romance yesterday to a World representative.
It il as follows
In the good year I74S Don Miguel Peralta
a daring and dashire captain of Dragons in the
Spanish army, stationed in New Spain, now
Mexico. Having been appointed on an expedi-
ton which went mp. to Santa Fe, he was intrust-
ed with difficult mission 10 Carlos V. King OF
SPAIN The King was pleased with Don Miguel
and made him grant of land in the northern
part OF New Spain, which should be in the shape
of paralleogram extending thirty leagues east
and west and ten leagues north to south. Such
tract would contain nearly 5000, 900 acres. The
grant also declared Don Miguel grandee of
Spain and invested him with the title of Baron
of the Colorados On the reverse side of the
grant was placed a huge seal, the seal of the new
barony.
The grant was referred by Sig Don Peralto to
the authorities of New Spain to ascertain the
boundaries of this splendid domain. There had
been previous mission grants, inouisitlon
was appointed to ascertain the boundaries OF
these lands and also Don Mieues The inquis-
ton fixed the western boundaries at the foot of
the Marcoba mountains, running five leagues
north and south OF the ella river. in Arizona.
which, of course bisects the grant The report
of the INCLUSION was returned TO the authorities
in Spain for their approval. and on being APP
proved Peralto took possession according to the
Spanish formalities. On big rock close to the
ella river be had a map of his possessions cut
into the rock and there it is to be seen to the
present day.
assembled to the throne he addressed a communi-
cation to the King saying that as there were
minerals on the land he desired confirmation
of the grant. This he got in 1777, and the docu
ments were placed on file.
The first baron built castle on the tract and
raised flocks and herds there. He established
amicable relations with the Indians, particularly
those of the Pima tribe. Part of the treaties
which he signed with them on file in the
City of Mexico. The baron lived to be over
ninety. He made will in which he declared
that he had only one son. to whom he devised
this tract charging him especially to preserve
the friendly relations with the indians.
Baron No succeeded his father in the man
agement of the patriarchal acres (patrarchal
one generation. at least. and exercised the vari-
GUS acts of ownership till the end of the Mexican
war, when, like many of the Spaniards who
didn't like the feeling of American occupation,
he went Mexico to live. He returned occas-
ionally, though. and appointed an agent to look
after his interests. subsequently he resided
considerably in California. In 1863 or 1864 he
went to Spain. and died there in
1865 in the shadow of his ninetie,h sbrth-
daughter, who having married and died, left
another daughter, aged nine months who was
living with her grandmother in Mendocino coun-
ty, California. The second barons will, which
was executed in Spain, devised all the tract to
his daughter and her heirs. with a solemn
to the wishes of the founder of the family. The
grandmother died while the child was yet
young and the latter grew up without knowing
that she was q baroness and mistress of five times
a milliod acres of rich mining and grazing lands.
While the Baroness was still young bold,
bad man by the name of Perata got UP a scheme
for dsposing of some OF the property: He had
the child sent a remote part of California and
kept In ignorance of her rights, and he went
ahead and made some conveyances on his own
sweet hook. Transfers which said to be
illegal were made to one Willing. and he trans
ferred them to j. Addison Reavis, of Missouri.
Becoming doubtful of the validity of his claims
the property. and hearing vague rumors of
the existence Of the daughter, Mr. Reavis spent
several years in searching for her. He found, a
her, courted her, married her, and then took mp
the work of proving her rights to the title of
Baroness of the Colorados and the titles of the
land The search was long and arduous. but it
panned out better than had been dreamed posi-
ble The Mexican authorities sent the docu-
ments in their possession, but there still
things wanting until the Baroness and her hus-
band went to Spain, and there she found the
missing links, the wills, etc. The Peralta fam
lily there recognized the Baroness as kipswon-
an and also as the heir to the American estate.
Copies of the papers file there made
and have been translated and filed with the De-
partment of the Interior. When Mrs. Reavis
went the Commissioner of Archives in Spain
he said there was package there left by the
grandfather to be delivered when she made
personal demand. 1t contained photographs
and the original grant itself, for which long
search had been made.
Roscoe Conkling. Col. r. g. Ingersoll andCol
Broadhead have examined the papers to il
the heirs to the original grant have any rights
which the United States is bound to recognize.
They have decided that they have. Eminent
California lawyers have looked into Mrs. Reav-
ISIS case. and say that she has title to the heir
ship. the Cisa-Granda Company. of which
Edward S. Stokes is President. and Hector De
Castro, Secretary and Treasurer. is going ahead
with confidence. The company has. itself,
title to the land, but only the right to The
Baroness has insisted that the rights of all set
tiers the tract must be protected. and has
pledged the company thereto. The town of
Phoenix, Ariz., is located on the tract, and il is
estimated that nearly 70, 900 people scattered
about on is. They will not be disturbed.